Teacher's Pet Rewritten
by ConfusedColumbia26220
Summary: So, I am rewriting every single episode of Buffy, with one slight change – Jenny Calendar killed off in Passion, season 2 episode 17 will be in every single one. Don't like it, don't read it. That simple. S1E4
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So, I am rewriting every single episode of Buffy, with one slight change – Jenny Calendar (killed off in Passion, season 2 episode 17) will be in every single one. Don't like it, don't read it. That simple. If you do like it, I would also suggest that you start out by reading the first three rewritten episodes, before you read this. This is the 4th epiosde rewritten for season one. In the summaries S#E# represents what season and episode the story takes place. It would be best if you went in order - I guarantee you will be lost unless you go episode by episode.**

In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.

At the Bronze, a girl was screaming. A vampire was advancing on Buffy as she backed into a pole. She threw a solid right to his face followed by a left. The vampire wasn't fazed, and he grabbed her and threw her onto a pool table. He leaned over her to bite.

Xander came up behind the vampire, grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him off of Buffy. "May I cut in?" He bashed the vampire's head onto the pool table, turned him around and punched him in the gut and the face. The vampire fells to the floor, unconscious. Buffy was impressed and gave him a big smile. Xander offered her his hand to help her off of the pool table. "You alright?"

Buffy exhaled. "Thanks to you!" She slid off of the table and noticed Xander's hand. "You hurt your hand! Will you still be able to..."

"...finish my solo and kiss you like you've never been kissed before?" He gaves her a wink and started back to the stage. The vampire gots back up and growled at Buffy. Xander saw him, broke the leg off of a chair that had been knocked over and threw the makeshift stake at the vampire. Buffy watched the stake fly into the vampire's chest, and he fell dead. She turned her gaze back on Xander. He jumped up onto stage and grabbed his guitar to continue his solo. Buffy looked up at him adoringly and advanced to the stage as he played.

"You're drooling," Buffy stated.

Xander gave her a confused look.

In the class it was dark because Dr. Gregory was giving a slide show.

"Xander!"

He woke up from his daydream and shook his head.

Buffy indicated the corner of her mouth. "You've got a little..."

He picked up on her gesture and quickly wiped the drool off of his mouth and chin.

Dr. Gregory taught, "Their ancestors were here long before we were. Their progeny will be here long after we are gone. The simple and ubiquitous ant." He turned off the projector, turned the lights on and began walking up the aisle. "Now. If you read the homework you should know the two ways that ants communicate." He stopped at Xander's lab table and leaned on it to face Buffy. "Miss Summers."

Buffy was right on the spot, "Ways that ants communicate."

Dr. Gregory nodded his head. "Mm."

"With other ants."

"From the homework." Behind him, Willow tried to get Buffy's attention. "Ants are communicating..."

Buffy saw Willow's signals. "Um, uh, uh..."

Willow stroked Xander's back, indicating 'touch'.

"Touch..."

Dr. Gregory nodded. "Mm-hmm."

"And, um..." She looked at Willow again. She was sniffing Xander, indicating, 'smell'. Buffy was confused. "B.O.?"

Several students laughed. Willow gave her a disappointed look.

"Thank God someone finally found the courage to mention that!" A male student by the name of Blayne hollered.

"That would be 'touch' and 'smell', Miss Summers. Is there anything else Miss Rosenberg would like to tell you?"

Willow quickly turned away in her seat. The bell rang.

Dr. Gregory started to move back to the front of the class. "Alright, chapters six through eight by tomorrow, people. " He stopped to look at Buffy. "Can I see you for a moment?"

Buffy nodded.

After the other students had left the room, Buffy leaned against a lab table.

Dr. Gregory idly reviewed his slides. "I gather you had a few problems at your last school?"

"Well, what teenager doesn't?"

"Cut school, get in fights, burn down the gymnasium... Principal Flutie showed me your permanent record." He walked to the front of the class, and Buffy followed him.

"Well, that fire, I mean, there was major extenuating circumstances. Actually, it's, uh, kinda funny!"

"Can't wait to see what you're gonna do _here_." He went to the closet, got his other glasses from his coat and cleaned them.

"Destructo Girl. That's me."

"But I suspect it's gonna be great."

"You mean, 'great' in a bad way?"

Dr. Gregory looked at her, then back at his glasses. "You have a first-rate mind and you can think on your feet. Imagine what you could accomplish if you actually did the..."

"...the homework thing."

"The homework thing. I understand you probably have a good excuse for not doing it." He closed the closet and walked back to his lab table. "Amazingly enough, I don't care. I know you can excel in this class, and so I expect no less. Is that clear?"

"Yeah! Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, be smart." He looked at another slide. " And please don't listen to the principal or anyone else's negative opinion about you. Let's make 'em eat that permanent record. Whadaya say?" He looked up at Buffy and gave her a little smile.

She smiled back. "Okay! Thanks."

He nodded his head. She grabbed her bag.

"Chapters six through eight!"

Buffy looked back at him with a smile and left the classroom. Dr. Gregory put the slide down, went over to turn off the lights and came back to his slide-viewing plate. While he concentrated on the slides, the closet door opened. Dr. Gregory was concentrating on the slides. Behind him, a large, green mantis stood. A claw went around his neck. Dr. Gregory looked up behind him and screamed. The claw drug him off of his chair. His glasses hit the floor and broke, and an instant later so did he.

At the Bronze, the live band was Superfine, playing "Already Met You". Xander danced lamely through the crowd.

_"The first date's the worst date / It's hard to know just what to do / And I take you to dinner / You don't eat, you just play with your food"_

Xander was on the dance floor and looked around. He made his way to the stage and gave the singer an acknowledging nod and grin.

_"And there's something familiar..."_

The singer gave him a 'get outta here' look.

_ "About every word you say"_

Xander was disappointed and moved away from the stage.

_ "It's hard to believe it's happened again / I already met you / And I already met you / You're like my last girlfriend / Yes, and the girlfriend I had before her"_

Xander went over to the bar where Blayne and his friend were sitting.

"Seven, including Cheryl. I'll tell you, though, her sister was lookin' to make it eight!" Blayne gossiped.

"Ooo, Cheryl's sister? The one in college?" his friend asked.

Blayne nodded. "Home for the holidays and lookin' for love! She's not my type, though. Girls really gotta have something to go with me."

Xander interrupted, "Something like a lobotomy?"

The two looked at him.

"Xander. How many times you score?" Blayne asked.

"Well, uh..." None.

"It's just a question."

"Are we talking today, or the whole week?" Xander covered.

The two boys snickered. Xander spotted Buffy and Willow coming down the stairs.

"Ooo! Duty calls!" He left the bar and approached the girls as Blayne and his friend watched. "Babes!"

The girls looked back at him.

He came up to them with his arms wide open and grabbed them both around the shoulders.

"What are you doing?" Buffy asked.

" Work with me here," Xander pleaded to Buffy. "Blayne had the nerve to question my manliness. I'm just gonna give him a visual."

Willow threw her arms around him tightly. "We'll show him!"

Xander looked back at Blayne, gave him a thumbs up and put his arm back around Willow. The two boys seemed impressed.

Buffy got distracted. "I don't believe it."

"I know, and after all my conquests."

Buffy saw Angel and went over to him.

"Who's that?" Xander wondered.

"That must be Angel! I think?" Willow wasn't sure.

"That weird guy that warned her about all the vampires?"

"That's him, I'll bet you."

"Well, he's buff! She never said anything about him being buff!"

"You think he's buff?"

"He's a very attractive man! How come_ that _never came up?"

Buffy approached Angel. "Well! Look who's here!"

"Hi."

"I'd say it's nice to see you, but then we both know that's a big fib."

"I won't be long."

"No, you'll just give me a cryptic warning about some exciting new catastrophe, and then disappear into the night. Right?"

"You're cold."

"You can take it."

Angel took off his jacket. "I mean, you look cold." He put his jacket around her shoulders.

"Oh, right! Give her your jacket. It's a balmy night, no one needs to be trading clothing out there!" Xander wasn't too enthused.

"A little big on me. " Buffy noticed a series of cuts on Angel's arm. "What happened?"

"I didn't pay attention."

"To somebody with a big fork?"

"He's coming."

"The Fork Guy?"

"Don't let him corner you. Don't give him a moment's mercy. He'll rip your throat out."

"Okay, I'll give you improved marks for that one. Ripping a throat out, it's a strong visual, it's not cryptic!"

"I have to go." Angel left.

Buffy stared after him. "Sweet dreams to you, too."

In front of Sunnydale High the next morning, Buffy and Giles were walking along in front of the school.

Giles was eating an apple. "That's all he said? Fork Guy?"

"That's all Cryptic Guy said: Fork Guy."

"I think there are too many 'guys' in your life." He laughed.

They met Willow sitting on a bench. 

"I'll see what I can find out. Get Jenny to help, too." Giles looked up at the sky. "God, every day here is the same."

"Bright, sunny, beautiful, how ever can we escape this torment? Come on, ask her out, already!" Buffy nudged his shoulder.

"Excuse me?" Giles nearly choked on a bite of his apple.

"We all know you want to," Willow stated helpfully.

"Are you blind, man?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, I mean, have you even seen the way Ms. Calendar looks at you?" Willow added.

Willow gave Buffy a smile. Buffy put her bag down and sat down next to her.

"Really..." Giles trailed off, in thought.

Xander came up behind Giles as he turned to leave. "Mornin'." He addressed the girls. "Guess what I just heard in the office? No Dr. Gregory today. Ergo, those of us who blew off our science homework aren't as dumb as we look." He reached down and flipped Willow's book closed. She had to stop it from sliding off of her lap. 

"What happened, is he sick?" Buffy asked.

"They didn't say anything about sick, something about missing."

"He's missing?" Buffy asked.

"Well, let me think. Um, the cheerleaders were modeling their new short skirts, that kinda got... Yeah! Yeah, they said missing." Willow and Buffy exchanged a look. "Which is bad?"

"If something's wrong, yeah!" Buffy answered.

"He's one of the only teachers that doesn't think Buffy's a felon," Willow pointed out.

"I'm really sorry, I'm sure he'll..." He looked up and saw Miss Natalie French walking toward them. "I, uh, huh..." The girls looked to see what was distracting him. "Uh, huh... huh..."

Natalie walked right up to Xander, who just stared at her. "Could you help me?"

"Uuuuuuhhhhhh... Yes!"

Willow and Buffy gave each other amused looks.

"I'm looking for Science... 109."

"Oh! It's, um..." He looked around himself, trying to remember the way. He turned back to Natalie with a smile. "I go there every day!"

Natalie laughed.

Xander looked to the girls for help. "Oh, God, where is it?"

Willow and Buffy just shrugged.

Blayne appeared behind Natalie and introduced himself, "Hi! Blayne Mall. I'm going there right now. It's not far from the varsity field where I took All-City last year." He smiled smugly.

"Oh! Thank you, Blayne!" She and Blayne left.

Xander's gaze followed them for a moment, and then he turned back to Willow and Buffy. "It's funny how the Earth never opens up and swallows you when you want it to."

The girls nodded their heads and gave each other a smile.

Giles stood in front of Ms. Calendar's classroom, once again. He knocked on the door.

Ms. Calendar opened the door. "Hello, there. Do you need something?"

"I...um...just wanted to make sure you weren't missing," Giles said.

"Missing?" Ms. Calendar arched an eyebrow.

"Well, the uh...chemistry teacher, I believe, uh...Dr. Gregory, he's...um, missing. J-Just wanted to make sure..."

"And I'm obviously not missing, as you can see, so...you can go on back to your book cave."

Giles nodded and turned to leave. Minutes later, he returned.

"Yes?" Ms. Calendar asked curiously.

"I-I erm, seem to h-have...l-l-lost the library,"

Ms. Calendar folded her arms, amused. "Lost the library?"

Giles smiled sheepishly. "Y-Yes..."

"Sad. Come on, I'll show you." Ms. Calendar left her classroom to lead Giles to the library. She was certain that had just been an excuse to delay leaving, because if he'd truly lost the library, she'd be a little worried.

In the science class, Natalie was writing her name on the board. Buffy, Willow and Xander walked in. Buffy spotted Dr. Gregory's glasses on the floor and picked them up.

"What's wrong?" Willow asked.

"Dr. Gregory dropped his glasses... Why wouldn't he pick them up?" Buffy sat the glasses on the lab table and gave Natalie a glance as she walked to her stool.

Natalie faced the class. "My name is Natalie French, and I will be substituting for Dr. Gregory."

"Do you know when he's coming back?" Buffy asked.

"No, I don't, um-" She checked her roster. " Buffy. They just call and tell me where they want me."

"I'll tell you where I want you," Blayne stated in a low, quiet voice.

"Excuse me, Blayne?" Natalie had heard.

"Uh, I was just wondering if you were gonna pick up where Dr. Gregory left off."

Natalie smiled. "Yes. His notes tell me you were right in the middle of insect life." She picked up a mantis mounted in a clear plastic box. "The praying mantis is a fascinating creature. Forced to live alone. Who can tell me why? Buffy?" She put the mantis back down.

"Well, the words 'bug-ugly' kinda spring to mind."

There was lots of muffled laughter.

"There is nothing ugly about these unique creatures. The reason they live alone is because they're cannibals!"

"Eww!"

Everyone in the class looked disgusted.

"Oh, well, it's hardly their fault! It's the way nature designed them: noble, solitary and prolific. Over 1800 species worldwide, and in nearly all of them the female is larger _and_ more aggressive than the male."

To Buffy, Blayne said, "Nothing wrong with an aggressive female."

Buffy angled her head and gave him a look.

Natalie picked up her notebook and started to walk around the room. "The California Mantis lays her eggs, and then finds a mate..." She looked at Xander. He stared back. "...to fertilize them. Once he's played his part, she covers the eggs in a protective sack and attaches it to a leaf or twig out of danger. Now, if she's done her job correctly, in a few months she'll have several hundred offspring." She had made her way back to the front of the class and put down her notebook. "You know, we should make some model egg sacks for the science fair. Who would like to help me do that after school?" All the boys raised their hands. "Good!" Natalie was pleased.

In the cafeteria at lunch, Buffy, Willow and Xander were in line.

"Hot dog surprise. Be still, my heart," Buffy joked.

"Call me old-fashioned, I don't want any more surprises in my hot dogs."

"I wonder what she sees in me? It's probably the quiet good looks coupled with a certain smoky magnetism." Xander was in his own world, fantasizing about Natalie.

Willow raised her eyebrows at him. She turned to Buffy and they smiled.

"Miss French. You two're probably a little young to understand what an older woman would see in a younger man."

"Oh, I understand," Buffy replied.

"Good!"

"The younger man is too dumb to wonder why an older woman can't find someone her own age, and too desperate to care about the surgical improvements!"

Xander was taken aback. "What surgical improvements?"

"Well, he is young," Willow told Buffy.

"And so terribly innocent!"

"Hey, those that can, do. Those that can't _laugh_ at those who... can do," Xander stated.

Blayne came up next to Xander, and got a lot of food. "Gotta carb up for my one-on-one with Miss French today. When's yours? Oh, right, tomorrow. You came in second, I came in first. Guess that's what they call natural selection." He left.

"Guess it's what they call a rehearsal!" To the girls, "Rehearsal... " He laughed lamely.

The girls smiled.

Buffy went over to get some utensils. As she walked back Cordelia came in through the exit and bumped into her.

"Excuse you!" Cordelia went behind the counter, and showed a piece of paper to the cafeteria workers. "Medically prescribed lunch. My doctor ships it daily... I'll only be here as long as I can hold my breath." She opened a refrigerator and screamed. Inside was a headless body. Buffy and Willow ran to see what was wrong. Cordelia backed away from the fridge. "His head! His head! Oh, my God, where's his

head?" She was hysterical.

Buffy and Willow arrived to see what was inside. Buffy stared in disbelief. Xander was close behind and had to look away when he saw. Willow looked squeamish. The name on the body's lab coat was 'Dr. Gregory'.

In the library, Ms. Calendar poured a glass of water. Giles brought it over to Buffy, who was sitting on the steps with Willow. Both girls had deeply sad looks on their faces. Buffy had been crying.

Giles handed the glass to Buffy. "Here. Drink this."

Buffy idly took the glass. "No, thank you." She took a sip anyway.

Xander was behind Giles. "I've never seen..." Giles looked back at Xander. Xander was shaken, "I mean, I've never seen anything like... That was new."

"Who would wanna hurt Dr. Gregory?" Willow wondered.

"Uh, he didn't have any enemies on the staff that I'm aware of. He was a civilized man. I liked him," Giles stated.

"So did I," Buffy replied.

Willow looked up at Giles. "Well, we're gonna find out who did this. We'll find them and we'll stop them."

"Count on it," Buffy added.

"What do we know?" Ms. Calendar asked. She got nearer to them.

"Oh, not a lot, um..." Buffy sniffed and wiped her nose. "He was killed here on campus. I'm guessing the last day we saw him."

"How do you work that out?" Giles asked.

"He didn't change his clothing."

"This is a question that no one particularly wants to hear," Xander began. "But... where did they put his head?"

"Good point. I _didn't_ wanna hear that," Willow stated.

"Angel!" Buffy got up. "He warned me that something was coming." She took another sip of water as she walked over to the table.

"Yes. Yes he did, didn't he?" Giles thought aloud.

Ms. Calendar tilted her head to the side. "Angel?"

"Yeah," Buffy answered. "Kinda creepy guy who keeps popping up to warn me about things."

"I wish I knew what he meant. I've been trying to gather more information about the Master, our, uh, local vampire king. There was one oblique reference to a, a, a vampire who-"

Ms. Calendar finished his sentence. "Displeased the Master and cut his hand off in penance."

"Okay, you two have _gotta _stop finishing each other's sentences. It's creepy," Buffy stated. Then something occured to her. "Cut off his hand and replaced it with a fork?"

"We don't know what he replaced it with," Giles answered.

"So, why would he come after a teacher?" Xander asked.

" I'm not certain he did. There was an incident two nights ago..." He walked over to the counter and picked up newspaper, then returned with it. "...uh, involving a homeless person in Weatherly Park. He was

practically shredded, but, uh, nothing like Dr. Gregory."

Buffy looked at the paper. "Fork Guy doesn't do heads."

"Not historically."

"And Dr. Gregory's blood wasn't drained," Buffy added.

"So there's something else out there?" Xander asked. "Besides Silverwareman? Oh, this is fun, we're on Monster Island."

"We're on a Hellmouth. It's a center of mystical convergence," Ms. Calendar stated.

"Guess it's the same thing." Buffy walked toward Xander.

"Well, unpleasant things do gravitate here, it's true, but, uh, we don't know there's anything besides this chap. He's still our likely suspect," Giles said.

"Where was that guy killed? Weatherly Park?" Buffy asked.

"Buffy." Giles advanced toward her. "I know you're upset, but, uh, this is no time to go hunting, not until we know more. Please promise me you won't do anything rash?"

"Cross my heart."

After school, Ms. Calendar entered the library. The later into the day it had gotten, the more freaked out she had become about the incident with Dr. Gregory. "There is no way in hell I'm leaving this school alone," she stated. "I'm not about to be the next teacher that shows up in the cafeteria's refrigerator decapitated."

"We'll get whatever is doing this, I assure you," Giles told her. He then looked up from the book he was reading. "You're bloody shaking. Come sit."

Ms. Calendar nodded and took a seat next to him. "Please tell me you're not going to be here all night. I'd like to be home before dark."

"You're really scared, aren't you?" Giles asked. It was certainly new to see any sort of fear in her.

Ms. Calendar nodded.

"It's not going to hurt you." Giles closed his book. "I promise." He awkwardly placed a hand on her shoulder.

At night, at Weatherly Park, Buffy climbed the fence. She walked through the park, carefully looking around.

A bum came up to her, startling her. "Shouldn't be out here at night, little lady. Dangerous." The bum left.

Buffy noticed another bum on the ground in front of a bench, and checked him out. He was okay, just asleep. Buffy continued stalking. Dogs barked in the distance. Buffy found some shrubbery covering

a sewer access hole. She moved it aside, and Fork Guy jumped out at her. She rushed backward. He swung with his claw, but missed. She slammed her straight arm into his gut, then again into his back. He swung again, but Buffy dodged him. She backhand punched him in the face, did a roundhouse kick to his jaw and backhand punched his face again. He took another swing at Buffy, but she evaded it. She front kicked him. He lunged at her, and she grabbed his arm and flipped him over onto his back. Buffy tried to stake him, but he rolled away and back onto his feet. She kicked him again, and he staggered backward and fell. Buffy heard voices and turned to see people with flashlights coming over the hill.

"Hold it!"

"Police!"

"Did you see that?"

"I got nothing here!"

Buffy looked back and forth between Fork Guy and the possee. The vampire ran off.

"I heard it."

"Spread out."

"Let's go over here."

"This way, this way."

"Alright..."

Buffy made tracks after the vampire.

Near the fence at the edge of the park, Natalie was walking home with grocery bags in her arms. The vampire stalked her and climbed over the fence. Buffy came running up. The vampire landed behind

Natalie. Buffy reached the fence and watched. Natalie sensed the vampire, stopped and turned to face him. Fork Guy hissed and ran away in fear. Natalie watched him go. Buffy couldn't believe what she saw. The

vampire crossed the street, lifted a manhole cover and climbed down. Natalie continued her walk home. Fork Guy pulled the manhole cover back into place. Buffy could only stare after Natalie, her mouth agape.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, in the library, Giles was eerily calm. "You went hunting last night." He wasn't asking Buffy. He knew.

"Yes."

He walked into his office. Buffy followed behind him. Ms Calendar was safely out of the line of fire at the study table, with her laptop.

"When you assured me you wouldn't." Giles took a sip from his mug.

"Yes, I lied, I'm a bad person, let's move on."

Giles opened his file cabinet. "Did you see someone with a fork?"

"More like a jumbo claw."

Giles turned to face her. "Oh. Well, uh, at least you're not hurt."

"And I saw something else. Something much more interesting than your average run-of-the-mill killer vampire."

"Oh?"

"Do you know Miss French, the teacher that's subbing for Dr. Gregory?" Buffy asked.

Giles smiled. "Yes. Yes, she's lovely." He cast a quick glance Ms. Calendar's way, and spoke his next words at a slightly louder volume, ensuring she'd hear. "In a, a common, extremely well proportioned way." He put some files away.

"Well, I'm chasing Claw Guy last night, and Miss Well Proportioned is heading home. The Claw Guy takes one look at her and runs screaming for cover."

Ms. Calendar was curiously drawn towards them. "He what? Ran away?"

"He was petrified," Buffy answered.

"Of Miss French?" Giles asked. "Uh-huh! So I'm an undead monster that can shave with my hand...How many things am I afraid of?"

"Not many. And not substitute teachers, as a rule."

"So what's her deal?" Ms. Calendar asked.

"I think perhaps it would be a good idea if we kept an eye on her." Giles regretted his phrasing when Ms. Calendar sent him the glare from hell.

"Then I better get to class." Buffy left the office. Not only did she have a job, but she did _not _want to be there when things got ugly.

"You'd best be keeping your eyeballs to yourself." Ms. Calendar turned swiftly, her skirt swishing around her legs, and returned to her laptop on the table.

Buffy rushed down the stairs. She was stopped by Principal Flutie.

"You were there. You saw Dr. Gregory, didn't you?"

"Um, you mean yesterday in the cafeteria when we found him..."

"Don't say dead! Or decapitated, or decomposing, I'd stay away from D-words altogether. But you witnessed the event, so this way, please." He started down the hall.

Buffy stopped him short. "Well, no, I'm gonna be late for biology... 

"Extremely late!" He started down the hall again. "You have to see a counselor. Everyone who saw the body has to see a crisis counselor."

"But I really don't need..."

"We all need help with our feelings. Otherwise we bottle them up, and before you know it, powerful laxatives are involved. I really believe if we all reach out to one another we can beat this thing. I'm always here if you need a hug." He jumped back. "But not a real hug! Because there's no touching, this school is sensitive to wrong touching."

"But, I really, really don't..."

"No, you have to talk to a counselor and start the healing. You have to heal."

"But Mr. Flutie, I..."

"Heal!" He sat her down in a chair outside of the counselor's office and paced off. Buffy leaned back in the chair and looked bummed. Then she heard Cordelia inside the office.

"I don't know what to say, it was really, I mean, one minute you're in your normal life, and then who's in the fridge? It really gets to you, a thing like that. It was... let's just say I haven't been able to eat a thing

since yesterday. I think I lost, like, seven and a half ounces? Way swifter than that so-called diet that quack put me on. Oh, I'm not saying that we should kill a teacher every day just so I can lose weight, I'm just saying when tragedy strikes, we have to look on the bright side. You know?"

Buffy made a face at what she was hearing. It was just too weird.

"Like, how even used Mercedes still have leather seats!" Cordelia rambled on.

In the science class, Natalie was giving a pop quiz, and was walking along the aisle. "Keep your eyes straight ahead on your own test." She came up behind Xander. She said in a quiet voice, "I think you meant 'pollination' for number fourteen." She put her hand on his shoulder. "I'll see you here after school."

In the hall, Buffy was running to class. When she got to the door, she looked through its window, "Oh, great, a pop quiz."

Inside, Natalie suddenly straightened up. Buffy looked in. She saw Natalie turn her head around 180 degrees. Her eyes went wide with amazement. She quickly strolled away from the window.

Later, Buffy and Willow came into the library. Buffy assumed that since Ms. Calendar was still there, or had at least come back, that the blow up she'd predicted earlier wasn't so big or ugly.

"No, I'm not saying she craned her neck. We are talking full-on Exorcist twist," Buffy explained what she'd seen.

"Ouch!"

"Which reminds me, how come Blayne, who worked with her one-on-one yesterday, isn't here today?"

"Inquiring minds wanna know."

"Any luck?" Buffy asked Giles.

Willow sat down in front of a computer and began a search.

"Um, I've not found any creature as yet that strikes terror in a vampire's heart."

"Try looking under things that can turn their heads all the way around."

"Nothing human can do that," Ms. Calendar stated.

"No, nothing human. There are some insects that can. Whatever she is, I'm gonna be ready for her." Buffy turned and hopped up the stairs to the stacked.

Giles took off his glasses. "What are you going to do?"

Buffy turned back to answer, "My homework." She continued up into the stacks. Willow looked up at her and smiled, then continued her search.

Buffy came running back. "Where are the books on bugs?"

After school, in the science classroom, Natalie was at the desk spreading butter on a slice of bread. She was about to open a plastic container when she heard Xander come in and looked up.

"Hi!" Xander greeted. He was slightly nervous.

"Oh, Hi! I was just grabbing a snack. Can I fix you something?"

"No thanks, I never... eat when I'm making egg sacks." He saw the model. "Wow, if this were real the bugs would be..."

"...as big as you!"

"Yeah! So! Where do we start?"

"Oh, Xander!" She got up. "I've done something really stupid. I hope you can forgive me."

"Oh, forgiveness is my middle name! Well, actually it's LaVelle, and I'd appreciate it if you guard that secret with your life." He laughed.

Natalie laughed. "I have a teacher's conference in half an hour, and I left the paint and papier-mâché at home. I don't suppose you'd like to come to my place tonight to work on it there?"

Xander swallowed. "Come to, uh... your place?" He flashed to the guitar solo of his from his dream for a moment.

"7:30? Here's my address." She wrote it down.

Xander couldn't believe his luck.

Natalie handed him her address. "I'll see you tonight?"

Xander replied in a high, squeaky voice, "Yeah!"

Moments later, Xander came out of the classroom and into the hall, pumping his fists into the air. "Ooo, yes!"

Inside the classroom, Natalie opened the container. It was full of crickets. She dumped them onto the buttered bread and folded the slice in half. She took a bite. Crunchy!

In the library, Buffy came out of the stacks with a book. "Dig this: 'The praying mantis can rotate its head 180 degrees while waiting for its next meal to walk by.'" She slammed the book shut. "Ha!" The rest of the room remained silent. "Well, c'mon, guys. Ha!"

"Well, Miss French is sort of big," Willow stated. "For a bug?"

"And she is, by and large, woman shaped," Giles added.

Buffy made her way to them. "Okay. Factoid 1: Only the praying mantis can rotate its head like that. Factoid 2: A pretty whacked-out vampire is scared to death of her. Factoid 3: Her fashion sense screams

predator."

"Hallelujah! I'm not the only one who noticed that."

They all looked towards Ms. Calendar.

"Number three."

"It's the shoulder pads," Willow stated.

"Exactly," Buffy replied.

"If you're right, then she'd have to be a shape shifter or a perception distorter. On a helpful note, I had a chum at Oxford, Carlyle, advanced degrees in entomology mythology," Giles informed.

"Entoma-who?" Buffy asked.

"Bugs and fairy tales," Ms. Calendar explained.

"I knew that."

"If I recall correctly, poor old Carlyle, just before he went mad, claimed there was some beast..."

The computer beeped. "Buffy, 911! Blayne's mom called the school. He never came home last night," Willow said.

"The boy who worked with Miss French yesterday?" Giles asked.

"Yeah! If Miss French is responsible for... Xander's supposed to be helping her right now! He's got a crush on a giant insect!" Willow cried.

"Okay, don't panic, I'll warn him. But I need you to hack onto the coroner's office for me," Buffy replied.

"Well, what are we looking for?" Willow asked.

"Autopsy on Dr. Gregory. I've been trying to figures out these marks that I saw on his corpse... I'm thinking they were teeth. And, uh, these cuddlies?" Buffy pointed to a picture of a mantis in the book. "Should definitely be brushing after every meal." As Willow typed, Buffy addressed Giles, "And you were saying something about a beast?"

Giles got up to go to his office. "Oh, uh, yeah, I just need to make one transatlantic telephone call." He stopped and turned back. "Um, this computer invasion that Willow's performing on the coroner's office, one, one assumes it is entirely legal?"

Willow and Buffy answered simultaneously.

"Entirely!" Willow.

"Of course!" Buffy.

"Right. Wasn't here, didn't see it, couldn't have stopped you."

"Good idea," Buffy stated.

The two girls looked to Ms. Calendar.

"Didn't see a thing," Ms. Calendar assured them.

Outside, Buffy caught up with Xander. "Hey!"

"Hey!"

"So, how'd it go with Miss French?"

"Well, it's a bit demanding being her absolute favorite guy in the universe, but I'll muddle through."

"Xander, she's not what she seems."

"I know, she's so much more."

"Okay, um... I'm gonna have to tell you something about her, and I'm gonna need you to really listen, okay?"

"I see. So if she's not human she's...?"

"Technically? A big bug."

Xander laughed.

"This sounds really weird, I'm aware of that..."

"It doesn't sound weird at all, I completely understand. I've met someone, and you're jealous."

"What? Jealous? I'm not jealous. Jealous was Ms. Calendar's glare of death when Giles said he thought Miss French was lovely."

"Look, there's nothing I can do about it. Uh, there's just this certain chemical thing between Miss French and me."

"I know, I read all about it, it's call, um, a pheromone. It's a chemical attractant that insects give off."

Xander was not happy. "She's not an insect! She's a woman, okay? And hard as that may be for you to conceive, an actual woman finds me attractive. I realize it's no mystery guy handing out leather jackets, and while we're on the subject, what kind of a girlie name is 'Angel' anyway?"

"What does that have to do with..."

"Nothing! It just kinda bugs me. Look, I really gotta..." He walked off.

Buffy turned and watched him go. "Wha...?"

Ms. Calendar's nerves were really worn thin. First a teacher, then a student. She didn't want to leave on her own, once more. She busied herself with grading papers after school, and nearly jumped out of her skin when there was a knock at the door. She hesitantly approached it, and was relieved to see Giles. "You know, for someone who hates computers and the idea of technology so much, you sure do stop by often," she attempted joking. Didn't ease her nerves a bit.

"W-Well...I figured you might not want to l-leave school grounds a-alone, a-and s-since you c-came to me y-yesterday, I-I-I thought I'd..."

"Thank you."

That night at Natalie's house, she poured two martinis. She was wearing a dress that showed a lot of clevage. The doorbell rang. She smiled and went to open it. "Hi! Come on in!"

Xander stared at her clevage as he came in.

"Should I change? Is, is this too... " She closed the door.

"No, no, it's, the most beautiful chest... dress I've ever seen."

Natalie smiled and went back into the living room, Xander following behind. "Thank you. That's sweet. Martini?" She offered him one. "Oh, I'm sorry, would you like something else?" She seemingly remembered that he was underage.

Nevertheless, Xander quickly accepted the drink.

Natalie laughed. "I just need to relax a little, I'm kinda nervous around you." She sat down. "You're probably cool as a cucumber!"

Xander sat down. "I like cucumbers. Like in that Greek salad thing with the yogurt. Do you like Greek food? I'm exempting Schwarma, of course, I mean, what's that all about? It's a big meat hive."

They laughed - Xander nervously, Natalie playfully.

Xander gulped the martini. "Hhhhhhho! Hello!"

"Cheers!"

They clinked their glasses.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Natalie asked. She sat her glass down and got close to Xander. "Have you ever been with a woman before?"

"You mean, like, in, uh, the same room?"

"You know what I mean."

"Oh, that, uh... Well, let me think. Um..."

Natalie ran her fingers through his hair and around his ear.

"Yeah, there was, uh... several!"

She continued to stroke down to Xander's chin.

"I mean, and, uh, quite a few times... And then there was, uh...Oh, she was incredibly..." Xander gave up on trying to lie. "No. Uh-uh."

"I know. I can tell."

"You can?"

"Oh, I like it. You might say, I... _need_ it."

"Oh! Well, needs should, uh, y'know... Needs should definitely be met, as long as it doesn't require ointments the next day, or..."

Muffling yelling sounded from somewhere.

"Do you hear..."

"No..." Natalie cut him off.

"Sounds like someone crying..."

"I don't hear anything." She took his hand. "Your hands are so hot!"

Xander flashed to his dream.

"Oh, you hurt your hand!" Dream Buffy had said.

Xander came back. The drink was beginning to affect him. He leaned back on the couch. "Buffy. I love Buffy. Wow! So that's a martini, huh?"

"Mm-hmm."

Xander sat back up. "Do you hear..."

Natalie interrupted, "Would you like to touch me with those hands?"

Xander looked at Natalie's hands. "Your hands are sss... really..." Her hands morphed. "Oh, wow, that martini, I... I really think I have to..."

Xander fell to the floor, unconscious. Two mantis claws drug him away by his feet.

Meanwhile, Giles was driving Ms. Calendar home. "It's been a long day," he stated.

"Mmhmm." Ms. Calendar nodded lazily. She was getting sleepy.

"Um, your car's still at the school...sh-should I p-p-p-pick you up in the morning?"

"Mmhmm."

"...You're about to fall asleep, aren't you?"

"Mmhmm."

"I'm guessing I'll have to c-c-carry you in?"

"Mmhmm." Ms. Calendar finally nodded off and her head fell to rest on his shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

Xander was lying unconscious in a cage in Natalie's basement. There were squishing noises. Xander woke up, look around, grabbed the bars, and pulled himself up. He saw Natalie as a giant mantis preparing her nest. "Miss... French?"

"Please, call me Natalie."

Xander backed away into the cage.

Giles had returned to the library after dropping Ms. Calendar off at her home. Much was to be done. He was on the phone. "Frankly, madam, I haven't the faintest idea what time it is, nor do I care. Now, unlock his cell, unstrap him, and bring him to the telephone immediately. This is a matter of life and death!"

Willow was typing on the computer. "Got it! Coroner's report, complete with... Yuk! ...color pictures."

"There _are_ teeth marks. Which match perfectly the one insect that nips off its prey's head," Buffy stated.

"Okay, I-I don't like this."

"Huh! It's the way they feed, head first. It's also the way they mate. The female bites off the male's head while they're..." 

"No, no, no! See? Xander's, I like his head! I-it's where you find his eyes, and his hair, and his adorable smile..."

"Hey, hey, take it easy, Willow. Xander is not in any immediate danger. I saw him leave school. He's probably safe at home right now."

In Natalie's basement, Xander backed up in his cage and was surprised by Blayne when he reached the far corner. "Ah! Blayne!"

Blayne was terrified. "Oh, God! Oh, God!"

"Are you alright?" Xander asked.

"Oh, God!" He breathed. "You gotta get me outta here! You gotta! She, she, she gets you, and, uh..."

"What?"

"...she, she..."

"What does she do?"

"Oh, God! Oh, oh, no!"

"Blayne! What does she do?" Xander was genuinely freaking out.

"She, she... she, she takes you outta the cage, and she ties you up, and, and... she... she starts movin', and throbbin', and these eggs come shootin' out of her! And then..."

"What?"

"And then..."

"Then what?"

"She mates with you!"

"Sheeee..."

"That's not the worst part!"

"That's not?"

"You seen her teeth? Right while she's, you know, right in the middle of... I saw her do it! I don't wanna die like that!"

"Blayne! Blayne! Chill! It's okay. It's gonna be okay. We'll get outta this."

"You gotta plan? What is it?" Blayne asked hopefully.

"Just, uh, let me perfect it!"

Blayne gave up hope. "Oh, God... Oh, God... Oh, God..."

In the library, Giles was talking with Carlyle on the phone in his office. "I-I understand, Carlyle. Yes... I-I'll take every precaution. Uh, absolutely, i-i-it sounds exactly like the creature you described. Y-you were right all along about everything. Well, n-no, you weren't right about your mother coming back as a Pekinese, but... uh... Try to rest, old man. Yes... Ta! Bye now!" He hung up the phone and came out of his office. Willow and Buffy were at the computer. "Dr. Ferris Carlyle spent years transcribing a lost pre-Germanic language. What he discovered he kept to himself until several teenage boys were murdered in the Cotswolds. Then he went hunting for it."

"'It' being..." Buffy waited for him to fill in.

"Uh, he calls her a She-Mantis. This type of creature, the Kleptes-Virgo, or, or virgin-thief, appears in, in many cultures. The Greek sirens, the Celtic sea maidens, who, who tore the living flesh from the bones of, um..."

"Giles, while we're young!" Buffy knew they didn't have a lot of time.

"Uh, well, basically the, uh, the She-Mantis assumes the form of a beautiful woman and then lures innocent virgins back to her nest."

"Virgins? Well, Xander's not a, uh... I mean, he's probably..."

Willow quickly got up, worried. "...gonna die!" She went to the phone.

"Okay, okay." Buffy walked around Giles. "So this thing is breeding and we need to find it and snuff it." She faced Giles. ") Any tips on the snuffing part?"

"Uh, Carlyle recommends cleaving all body parts with a sharp blade."

Willow was on the phone behind Buffy, talking to Xander's mom.

"Slice and Dice," Buffy stated.

"Well, whatever you do, it had better be certain and swift. This beast is extremely dangerous." His mind drifted to the image of Ms. Calendar asleep on the couch of her home, alone.

"Well, your buddy Carlyle faced it, and he's still around."

"Yes, in a straitjacket, howling his innards out day and night."

"Okay, Admiral, way to inspire the troops!"

"Sorry..."

Willow got off of the phone. "Xander's not home! He told his mom he was going to his teacher's house to work on a science project. He didn't tell her where."

"See if you can get her address off the substitute rolls," Buffy told her. To Giles she said, "And you need to record bat sonar, and fast!"

"Bat sonar, right. What?"

"Bats eat them." Buffy lead Giles to the stairs. "The mantis hears sonar, its entire nervous system goes kaplooey."

"Where am I gonna find the..." If only he hadn't dropped Ms. Calendar off, already.

"In the vid library? There're no books, but it's dark and musty, you'll feel right at home, go!" She exhaled. To hereself she said, "I guess I'll handle the armory."

In Natalie's basement, Xander and Blayne were in their cages. Xander was working on one of the bars.

"Don't do anything to make her mad!" Blayne warned.

Xander pulled the bar out.

Blayne brightened. "Hey, alright, now I can get outta my cage!" Then he was bummed. "Into yours. What'd you do that for?"

"A weapon!"

Blayne saw Natalie coming. "I think you're gonna need it."

Xander looked up, startled. He dropped the bar.

In the library, Miss French's record was coming out of the printer. Buffy came in the door.

"Getting the address," Willow informed.

"Great! Giles?"

Giles was holding a tape recorder. "Recording bat sonar is something soothingly akin to having one's teeth drilled."

Buffy took the tape recorder. "Let's roll!"

They all headed for the door.

"According to Miss French's personnel records, she was born in 1907. She's, like, 90 years old!" Willow informed.

"And extremely well preserved!" Giles was glad Ms. Calendar wasn't there to hear him say that.

In Natalie's basement, she was looking back and forth between the boys.

"Oh, God!" Blayne went through the hole, into Xander's cage. "Uh, he did that, he broke the cage, take him, not me, take him!"

Giles was driving Buffy and Willow to Miss French's house. They got out and ran up to the door.

"What now, exactly?" Giles asked. "We can't just kick the door down."

"Yeah, that _would_ be wrong," Buffy admitted. She went to do so, anyway, but the door opened.

An old lady was there. "Hello, dear! I thought I heard... Are you selling something? Because I'd like to help you out, but... You see, I'm on a fixed income."

"I'm looking for Miss French," Buffy stated.

"I'm Miss French."

"Natalie French, the substitute biology teacher?" Buffy asked.

The woman laughed. "Goodness, that's me! I taught for over thirty years. I retired in 1972."

Buffy spoke to Giles, "I can't believe this! She used Miss French's records to get into the school. She could be anywhere!"

The woman, the _real _Miss French, was out of the loop. "No, dear! I'm right here!"

In Natalie's basement. Xander asked, "What's she doing?"

"I think it's eeny, meeny, miney..."

"Moe?" Xander had a terrified look on his face.

At Ms. Calendar's house, Ms. Calendar awoke with a start. Her dreams hadn't exactly been kind. It didn't help that she was alone. All she could do was get up, turn all the lights on, return to the couch, and pray that Giles and the rest of them were alright.


	4. Chapter 4

In Natalie's basement, she opened the door to the cage.

Xander crawled out on his butt, bar in hand. "I'm comin', I'm comin'." When he was just out of the cage he swung the bar and hit Natalie as he got up. She staggered. He ran for the stairs. Halfway up Natalie tripped him with her claw, and he tumbled back down the stairs.

Outside Miss French's house, Giles, Willow, and Buffy were going back to the car.

"What do we do now?" Willow asked.

"Abject prayer and supplication would spring to mind," Giles answered.

"I saw her walking past this park with her grocery bags. She lives in this neighborhood," Buffy deduced.

"I'm gonna start banging on doors." Willow headed for the next house.

Buffy stopped her. "Wait, no, we do _not_ have time for that!"

"We have to do something!"

"We will," Buffy promised.

Soon they came upon the manhole cover where Buffy had seen Claw Guy go in. Buffy lifted it off and started to climb in. "I won't be long." She went down.

"W... Buffy?" Giles was confused.

In Natalie's basement, Xander was tied up with leather straps, Natalie in his face.

"Oh, yeah, here it comes!" Blayne predicted.

"What? What's happening?" That hadn't done anything good for Xander's nerves.

"How do you like your eggs, bro, over easy or sunny side up?"

"Eggs? She's gonna lay some..." He saw her lay some eggs. He flashed back to Natalie's lecture in science class.

"The California Mantis lays her eggs, and then finds a mate to fertilize them," she had said.

Flashback ending, Xander is scared.

Willow hovered above the manhole. "Come on, Buffy!"

In some bushes, there were sounds of Claw Guy swinging his arm and ropes whipping through the air. Buffy pushed Claw Guy out of the bushes. His arms were tied behind his back.

"You!" Claw Guy cried.

"Me!" Buffy confirmed. She shoved him down the street.

Soon they were on Natalie's street. Buffy was pushing Claw Guy down the sidewalk in front of her. Giles and Willow followed.

"Come on! Come on, where is she? Which house is it? I know you're afraid of her, I saw you! Come on!" Buffy was trying to pump the demon for information.

Claw Guy began to react to Natalie's presence, freaking.

"Come on. What? What is it? This is her, isn't it, this is her house? This is it! Better than radar!" Buffy let go of him.

Claw guy cut the ropes with his blades.

"Buffy!" Willow cried.

Claw Guy swung at Buffy, but she leaned back in time, only to trip and fall backward over the miniature picket fence running along the walk to the house. Claw Guy jumped to follow. She crawled backward on her butt until she hit the fence on the other side of the lawn. She ripped a picket from the fence and thrusted it into Claw Guy as he took another swing at her. He fell over dead. Giles breathed a sigh of relief.

In Natalie's basement, she advanced on Xander. "Kiss me!" She laughed darkly. "Kiss me!"

"Can I just say one thing? HEEEELLLLP! HEEEELLLLP!"

Buffy smashed the basement window and slid in.

"Uh, hey, o-over here, hello! In the cage!" Blayne tried getting her attention.

Buffy pulled her bag through the window. "Let him go!" she demanded of Natalie. She ran down the stairs and sat the bag down. Willow climbed in the window, too. Buffy pulled two cans of insect spray from the bag and sprayed Natalie in the face. Giles climbed in as Willow ran behind Buffy to open the cage. The spray disoriented Natalie. Giles came down the stairs now, too. Buffy pointed him at Xander.

"Help me! Help me!" Blayne fought for attention.

"Get them outta here!" Buffy told Giles. She pulled the tape recorder and a machete from her bag.

"Hey, help me! Help me!" Blayne fought more.

Giles undid the leather straps holding Xander. Natalie retreated to the back of her nest.

Buffy started to close in on her. "Remember Dr. Gregory? You scarfed his head? Yeah, well, he taught me, you do your homework, you learn stuff. Like what happens to your nervous system when you hear this!" She played the tape, but it was Giles' voice. Buffy stared at the machine in disbelief.

"...extremely important to file not simply alphabetically..."

"Giles!"

Giles was on the floor, pointing at Natalie. "I-it's the wrong side!"

Natalie knocked the tape recorder and machete from Buffy's hands. Giles watched the recorder fly over him, hit the ground and slide under a refrigerator. He scrambled to get it. Buffy turned her attention back to Natalie. Natalie tried to trip Buffy, but she jumped over her claw. Xander came up next to her with a can of bug spray and sprayed it into Natalie's face. Buffy pushed him away from danger, and Natalie took the opportunity to knock her down. Buffy raised herself onto her hands and one leg, and with the other did two crouching side kicks to Natalie's legs to keep her at bay. Giles searched under the refrigerator. Buffy kicked again. She saw the machete on the floor and grabbed it. Giles had the recorder now, he jumped around on the floor with the recorder in front of him and played the tape. The sounds of bat sonar severely hurt and

disoriented Natalie. She flailed her claws around.

"Bat sonar. Makes your whole nervous system go to Hell. You can go there with it!" Buffy quipped. She slashed at Natalie fiercely and repeatedly with the machete, hacking her to pieces. She was winded afterward. Giles got up. Willow ran over to Xander. Blayne was out of his cage. They looked at the carnage.

"Well, I... I'd say it's deceased," Giles concluded.

"And dissected," Willow added.

"You okay?" Xander asked Buffy.

"Yeah."

"Just for the record, you were right, I'm an idiot, and God bless you!"

Buffy lowered her head.

"And thank you guys, too," Xander addressed the others.

"Yeah, really!" Blayne added.

"Pleasure..." Giles was now glad Ms. Calendar hadn't had to fight that fight.

"I'm really glad you're okay," Willow told Xander. "It's so unfair how she only went after virgins."

Xander laughed and looked back and forth between the girls. "What?"

"I mean, here you guys are, doing the right thing, the smart thing, when a lot of other boys your age..."

"Flag down on that play, babe. I am _not_..." Blayne interrupted.

Giles interrupted him, "Well, you see, that's the She-Mantis' modus operandi. Uh, she only preys on the pure."

"Well, isn't this a perfect ending to a wonderful day!" Xander's sarcasm was starting up again.

"My dad's a lawyer. Anyone repeats this to anybody, they're gonna find themselves facing a lawsuit."

"Blayne! Shut up!" After being nearly eaten by the not-so-hottie-Mantis-lady, Xander wasn't too worried about his manly status anymore.

"I don't think it's bad, I think it's really..." Willow said.

Xander held up the machete.

"...sweet! It's certainly nothing I'll ever bring up again."

Xander took the machete over to Natalie's nest, looked it over, and started hacking away at in.

Later, at the Bronze, Buffy was at the bar, wearing Angel's jacket. Angel came up behind her. Buffy sensed him and looked up at him.

Angel smiled. "I heard a rumor there was, uh, one less vampire walking around making a nuisance of himself."

"There is. Guess I should thank you for the tip."

"Pleasure's mine."

"Course, it would make things easier if I knew how to get in touch with you."

"I'll be around."

"Or who you were?"

Angel just smiled and moved around to the other side of her.

"Well... Anyway, you can have your jacket back," Buffy said.

"It looks better on you." He turned and left. Buffy stared after him. Angel gave another look back and disappered into the crowd.

"Oh boy!" Buffy said to herself.

The next morning, Giles picked Ms. Calendar up at her house.

"Boy, I've never been so happy to see a Citroen in all my life," Ms. Calendar stated. "Once I woke up during the night, I couldn't get back to sleep, I was so worried."

Giles gave the smallest of smiles. "You've no need to worry anymore. It's gone."

"Do I want to know what I missed?"

"Probably not. I was rather glad you didn't have to fight that fight, actually."

"Really. Why would that be?"

"Well, you seemed to be so frightened of being hurt, I-I...I-I wouldn't have wanted to p-put you in a d-dangerous s-situation."

Ms. Calendar smirked. "Too bad. I would have _really_ enjoyed kicking her ass."

In the science class, there was a new teacher. "All midterm papers will be exactly six pages long. No more, no less. One third of your grade will be dependent..."

Buffy was daydreaming.

"...on those papers. No more, no less."

The bell rang. Buffy came back to Earth. Everyone got up and left. On the way out, Buffy saw Dr. Gregory's glasses still on the lab bench where she left them. She picks them up and spent a moment remembering him. She saw Dr. Gregory's jacket still hanging on the hook on the closet door and went over to put the glasses in a pocket. As she closed the door, she didn't notice the lower shelf, where a cluster of She-Mantis eggs were attached underneath. One of the eggs hatched.


End file.
